The St. Louis Cardinals may have found an unexpected weapon at exactly the right time.
Rookie left-hander Quinn Mathews delivered the strongest performance of his young major league career Friday night, helping the Cardinals defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-1 at Busch Stadium and keeping St. Louis’ increasingly slim playoff hopes alive. For a team that had just endured a difficult stretch, Mathews’ performance couldn’t have arrived at a better moment.
Quinn Mathews finally gets his breakthrough
Mathews entered Friday’s game still searching for his first major league victory.
He left it with one.
The highly regarded pitching prospect worked 5⅔ innings, allowing just one earned run while striking out seven. More importantly, he displayed the poise and efficiency the Cardinals have been hoping to see from him since bringing him into the majors.
It was also a particularly meaningful performance because this was Mathews’ first start at Busch Stadium.
Instead of being overwhelmed by the moment, the young lefty attacked Pittsburgh’s lineup and gave St. Louis the kind of quality start it desperately needed.
For a Cardinals rotation dealing with injuries and inconsistency, that could be a major development.
Jimmy Crooks provided the big swing
Mathews wasn’t alone in giving Cardinals fans something to celebrate.
Rookie catcher Jimmy Crooks delivered the game’s biggest offensive blow, launching a two-run homer in the third inning to give St. Louis an early advantage.
It was Crooks’ fifth home run of the season, another encouraging sign from a young player trying to establish himself at the major league level.
The Cardinals have spent much of the season trying to determine which young players can become part of the club’s next competitive core.
Crooks is increasingly making his case.
Jordan Walker suddenly looks dangerous
Another encouraging development came from Jordan Walker.
Walker collected three hits and scored twice, providing the type of offensive production Cardinals fans have been waiting to see from the talented young hitter.
His performance is particularly intriguing because Walker’s future has been one of the more closely watched storylines surrounding St. Louis.
If he can build consistency at the plate, the Cardinals could suddenly have another important offensive piece to pair with their emerging young talent.
The bullpen finally slammed the door
The Cardinals also received a strong finish from their relief corps.
After Mathews exited, Ryan Fernandez and Caleb Ferguson helped keep Pittsburgh off the scoreboard before Ryne Stanek recorded the save.
That was important after St. Louis had experienced several difficult late-inning moments recently.
The bullpen has been a major storyline throughout the season, and the ability to protect a lead in a close game could become increasingly important if the Cardinals are going to make one final push toward October.
St. Louis is still chasing the Wild Card
The Cardinals remain in a difficult position.
St. Louis entered the weekend only five games behind the San Diego Padres for the final NL Wild Card position, meaning there is still a mathematical path to the postseason.
However, the Cardinals need much more than isolated victories.
They need a sustained run.
Before Friday’s win, St. Louis had gone 3-7 over its previous 10 games and had lost five of six. The club’s recent stretch also included several painful bullpen and injury developments.
That makes the Pittsburgh series particularly important.
The Cardinals have another injury concern
The club is also dealing with continued injury uncertainty.
Rookie Blaze Jordan recently suffered an apparent ankle injury after hitting a three-run homer against Baltimore. The injury could potentially end his season, adding another complication to St. Louis’ attempt to evaluate its younger players down the stretch.
The Cardinals have also had pitching depth issues, with injuries forcing manager Oliver Marmol to make adjustments to his rotation.
That makes Mathews’ emergence even more valuable.
If the rookie can continue giving the Cardinals competitive starts, St. Louis could have another legitimate option to work into its pitching plans.
JJ Wetherholt remains another huge storyline
Mathews’ performance also comes at a fascinating time for the Cardinals’ young core.
Infielder JJ Wetherholt remains firmly in the National League Rookie of the Year conversation. MLB recently noted that the race has become more complicated, with Wetherholt now facing competition from several other emerging rookies rather than simply being involved in a two-player battle.
That gives Cardinals fans another reason to watch the final month closely.
The organization isn’t simply trying to win games.
It’s also getting valuable information about which young players could become central pieces of the next Cardinals contender.
The Pirates series suddenly matters
Pittsburgh entered the weekend just two games behind St. Louis in the standings, making the series important for both clubs.
A Cardinals series victory would not only improve St. Louis’ record but also create more separation from the Pirates while keeping the Wild Card chase alive.
After Friday’s victory, the Cardinals have already taken the first step.
Now they need to keep going.
The bigger picture
St. Louis may not control its playoff destiny anymore, but Friday’s performance showed why the Cardinals cannot be counted out completely.
A young pitcher delivered his best start.
A young catcher hit a clutch home run.
Jordan Walker produced a three-hit game.
And the bullpen protected a late lead.
That’s the formula St. Louis needs to repeat.
The Cardinals don’t need one player to suddenly become a superstar. They need several of their young pieces to continue developing while the veterans provide enough production to keep the club competitive.
The bottom line
The Cardinals’ postseason path remains difficult, but Quinn Mathews just gave St. Louis something it desperately needed: hope.
His first MLB win could be more than a personal milestone. It could be the beginning of a much bigger role for the young left-hander as the Cardinals determine what their pitching staff will look like moving forward.
With the Wild Card race still within reach and a crucial series against Pittsburgh underway, Mathews’ breakout may have arrived at exactly the right time for St. Louis.
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